The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-06-04
The Street-Car Drivers Strike.

The strikers in their management Of the
press-wagon scheme, are perhaps doing more to
annoy the streetcar company than by any other
means Yesterday afternoon the wagons at the
corner Of Washington and Illinois street had
great deal of the baseball patronage, while
many of the cars went to the grounds with
more than an ordinary number of passengers
1t ia observable too, that down IN the manufact-
urine districts, morning and evening. preference
is given to the wagons. But the company claims
that it is doing we'll without the strikers as
with them. The drivers it is said, have
become accustomed to the routes and work, but
here and there a black sheep appears among
them to cause some trouble
With the strikers the appeals and orders
drafted by a member of the executive board are
utilized for all they worth. During the
afternoon throng on Washington street, yester-
day, these appeals were extensively distributed
while other strikers quietly directed attention
to the express wagons as a means of conveyance,
as cheap and ready the street-cars But at
the transfer car, not far away the rapid coming
and going of cars, the crowds waiting transfer,
and the activity of road officers. showed that
1t was here that street-car employe and knight
of Labor asked il he still belonged to the
order. 'They say DON'T" he replied
what effect has the order of expulsion had
the Knights remaining in the employ of the
com ..Tany -s...v., No. man wan. mt rna.r
such, makes us only more determined to resist
what have from the very first deemed an
illegal act part of the executive board. The
conduct of the strike Is left now by that oreanl-
cation entirely to one man, and 1t Is through
such men that the good the order could do has
been sacrificed"
What steps do you intend to take in the
matter2'
s'None of us received any copy of charges
against l got a notice to appear last night
at a meeting of Wilietts Assembly to attend and
wa hare hat AID
me-. 1t stated that had refused to obey orders,
but whose what orders the notice did not
explain. We entitled to not only
q copy of the specific charges, but to formal
trial We have the right to select counsel from
the assembly to defend US, and if We do not wish
to submit to the decision of the local we have
the right of appeal to the district assembly. All
these rights body of men assumes to take
from by it's arbitrary action. But we are
resting easy under It One of our number has
decided to contest the.iegality of the assemblys
expulsion. He will first try to have the question
heard and decided by the local. The condition
in which matters are leads us to think that the
order of expulsion will be sustained, but it will
then be appealed to the district assembly.
One can judge what the decision of that body
will be unless it is prepared to acknowledge that
the order calling out was illegal But from
that this man mis- friends will take the matter
to the General Assembly. The contest is on and
is likely trouble for those who brought
il about You can see what position the strlk
ers themselves will be in by the time the General
Assembly acts on the question. Instead Of help
ing themselves, they have damaged their cause
1t will amount to anything, far
strength and ultimate accomplishment of pur-
pose are concerned, until we join them, and that
will not be until the legality of the strike and
our expulsion is settled by the General Assem-
blv"
The strikers have made it very uncomfortable
for drivers who do not call the names of streets,
although in the Mayors court, yesterday, when
several of the men were to be tried for violating
the ordinance in this respect. some of the com
planning witnesses did not appear. The trial,
though resulted in the assessment of fine of 81
and costs against drivers Coffin, Heinrich ard
Lowe. A dismissal of the other
dered by the Mayor in two of which it appears
the drivers, in failing to call the names of the
streets. did so with understanding from the
superintendent of police that it was not neces-
sary to call the streets between
Alabama and Tennessee and South
and Ohio streets. Heath and Graham were al
lowed to 20 this account. Shimmell was dis
charged because the complaining witness was in
the car in charge of officer. who taking
him to the station house. He did not think it
necessary to call the streets for this passenger,
he and the officer having the car to themselves.
The evidences in the other not sufi-
cient to establish violation of the ordinance.